Leave No Pet Behind…

Evacuees from a Southern California wildfire raging for three days have fled with dogs, cats, birds and other creatures. But many people left pets behind or didn’t have time to get them out.

Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control is the lead of three agencies sheltering pets, including 86 horses, two llamas, two alpacas, two goats, 22 dogs, six cats, two birds, one turtle and an unknown number of guinea pigs. Many of those animals have been picked up by their owners.

The city of Los Angeles and Ventura County animal control departments also sheltered animals, including 56 horses, housed at Pierce College in Woodland Hills and the Ventura County Fairgrounds. The Los Angeles County animal control spokeswoman, Kaye Michelson, says there is no charge to animal owners.

Many home owners were at work when the fire broke out Wednesday and were prevented from getting back to their homes because of evacuation orders.

Michelson says many people have been calling, asking that their homes be broken into and their animals rescued.